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Small thread jack here – Sort of. I was busy earlier and GBS posted this great piece, and before I take my mangy cold to bed and Nyquil out, I wanted to give a shout out to Mrs. GBS and her Bishop. We were talking about Elder Nelson’s talk when he sneaked this in. Quote:
My wife was just released as YW president in our ward and later our bishop took her aside to thank her and to tell her that he wished he could call her as a counselor because of how she’d helped in ward council. Nobody gave my wife permission to speak up and luckily the bishop was smart enough to listen. Now back to the regularly scheduled topic.nibbler wrote:Sigh. Elder Andersen should be sealed to JS as a spiritual husband and get it over with.
Nearly went an entire conference with no JS adulation. This close.
I listened to this again just now to see if it still struck me as strange, and it does. I don’t understand opening up the subject and then sort of clowning around with it. The issue of JS’s conduct is huge and I try to live life in the church working around it, minimizing, “contextualizing,” etc. But if we’re going to talk about it in General Conference, I hope for better than this.Ann wrote:I listened to this again just now to see if it still struck me as strange, and it does. I don’t understand opening up the subject and then sort of clowning around with it. The issue of JS’s conduct is huge and I try to live life in the church working around it, minimizing, “contextualizing,” etc. But if we’re going to talk about it in General Conference, I hope for better than this.
I want to go back and listen again myself. When I listen live it’s more about emotion than reason and I readily admit that for me Andersen carries a little baggage with him. He already gave a Joseph Smith is the greatest thing since sliced bread talk last October and his reference to “half-truths and subtle deceptions” in that talk was the first time I ever left the room cursing during general conference. The rest of the family was all
😯 😳 The beginning of this new talk by Andersen dredged up those feelings/memories.
I’ll choose to give Elder Andersen a break.
So now that it’s all over, let’s pretend I am a member here who missed the whole thing (I did miss some). If I were here asking this morning what talks I should hear/read and what ones I should avoid, what would you tell me? I would avoid Bednar’s talk on aged leaders, and I would recommend the simplify message from Elder Uchdorft — but not his whole talk. I am interested in hearing about any other talks I should listen to. I like the ones that are about character, but not entwined with the church. I like ones that talk about general duties in the home, and ones that are kind to people that don’t follow the textbook Mormon path. DarkJedi wrote:So now that it’s all over, let’s pretend I am a member here who missed the whole thing (I did miss some). If I were here asking this morning what talks I should hear/read and what ones I should avoid, what would you tell me?
Talks to hear:
Saturday morning, Elder Richard J. Maynes.
I don’t really have an avoid list.
As much as I didn’t like the overall theme of the conference I did like a few steps forward that we took:
1) Holland – it’s okay for a person with SSA to hold a calling, go to the temple, and serve a mission. There was also mention that they worked extensively with the young man with SSA but didn’t have the expectation that the attraction would go away.
2) Nelson – he talked about women and their positive influences on the church and within each family. There was some good, some bad, but overall better than the previous dialog.
I saw those as positive steps forward for the church as a whole. The messages might appear to be lacking from our vantage point, maybe even appear as a step backwards, but when considering the church as a whole it’s a step forward from where we used to be. E.g. what BP is now justified in withholding a calling from someone with SSA?
DarkJedi wrote:So now that it’s all over, let’s pretend I am a member here who missed the whole thing (I did miss some). If I were here asking this morning what talks I should hear/read and what ones I should avoid, what would you tell me?
I have not listened to it yet.
Overall one item I will mention is that I didn’t hear some, but not over and over about how religious freedoms and the family are under a raging attack. But then again, maybe I snoozed during a few talks. I did nod off during the priesthood session closing prayer and I woke up and he was still praying! I am not sure I was a light sleeper or he had a looooong prayer. I’m not sure if this will get read by those who didn’t like the “we need the sisters” talk, but here we go: I actually liked the talk and here’s why. I know far too many sisters who are talented and more than capable of just about anything, but these sisters are sort of lost in the shadows. Some may feel that their place is at home and not in ward council. Some lack self confidence that their voice matters.
I am so hopeful that those types of sisters will realize that they CAN be heard and that they will begin to share their thoughts and feelings with the brethren.
Of course the ratio of men to women in ward council is still quite skewed, but that’s another change for another day.
Like Ray, I think that talks like this can be seen as a small step and one that will hopefully open more dialogue.
Those who are in this group who didn’t like the talk probably already feel that they can speak up and out – and didn’t want the “obvious” to be stated. I get that. But I’m thinking that the sisters who needed to hear the “empowerment” talk aren’t in this group.
All in all, the conference was good for me – and I think it’s because I didn’t come to it expecting diving revelations from the speakers. I wasn’t looking for anything earth shattering. I wasn’t looking for something to nit pick or complain about. I was looking for encouraging words. Period. I found them, so for me it was a win.
QuestionAbout, Thanks for speaking up (especially if you are a woman
I do think you have some valid points.
It is better that the talk was given. What irritates me (and maybe others) is the culture and organization that creates an environment where SO many women don’t feel they matter. Yes this talk is a good (tiny) baby step. But much more needs to be said and clearly communicated before substantive change occurs for women.
BTW – your avatar/picture is WAY cool. Kind of mesmerizing.
LookingHard, I think there is another forum here that may touch on some of the sentiments expressed in this thread, so I might check there to see what is being said, but I agree with you …
It is a tiny step. It’s nothing that we don’t already know and it would have been better if, say, Elder Nelson had said something like, “Bishops, consider calling a sister to be the Sunday School president. Consider making changes to the ward mission leader and call a sister to serve in that capacity.”
You know, get more sisters into ward council and maybe that would help?
I don’t know.
The agenda and discussion of WC can also set the tone for what sort of female input is needed.
I know I’ve had experiences while serving as RS Pres where I spoke up in WC and was able to put a damper on some obnoxious practice.
I’ve also had my fair share of dealing with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum who served as bishopric counselors – what a joke. Men like those two make me think that if women ran the ward things would actually get done…on time and done well.
I enjoyed President Monson’s Sunday Morning talk. Nothing earth shattering, but really the basics. I also liked Elder Costa’s Sacrament talk. mom3 wrote:I enjoyed President Monson’s Sunday Morning talk. Nothing earth shattering, but really the basics. I also liked Elder Costa’s Sacrament talk.
I liked Pres. Monson’s talk, too – just good old basic gospel stuff. I liked Elder Costa’s accent, I was doing other things during his talk, I’ll have to go back and read it (they’re online now). I did just re-read Pres. Uchtdorf’s Saturday morning talk and I like it. I did listen to it when it was being given, but it was on my bluetooth at a soccer game and between the game and the other parents saying stuff (they didn’t know someone was talking in my ear) I really only got pieces. Another forum has some things on it about Pres. Uchtdorf backpedaling on the doubters – I don’t see it that way.
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